This application is based upon Japanese Patent Applications No. 2002-55562 filed on Mar. 1, 2002, and No. 2002-368086 filed on Dec. 19, 2002, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner, which has an automatic air-conditioning control function and a learning control function of a passenger""s preference for reflecting the passenger""s preference to an air-conditioning operation.
2. Related Art
An air conditioner such as the one disclosed in JP-A-8-197933 has a learning control function. The air conditioner memorizes a set temperature in each of regions separated from each other by the detected value of the environmental condition of a vehicle, such as an inside air temperature and an outside air temperature. When the passenger performs a changing operation of the set temperature in an operation region, the set temperature of peripheral regions around the operation region is also corrected. Therefore, the set temperature, which is a preferred temperature of the passenger in the peripheral region, may be changed.
For example, in a case where the passenger satisfy the air conditioning operation in a region at the set temperature of 25xc2x0 C., when the region is moved to an adjacent region due to a change of the outside air temperature, the passenger may change the set temperature to a set temperature of 24xc2x0 C. for cooling. In this case, in the conventional air conditioner, the set temperature of this region is corrected to 24xc2x0 C., and the set temperature of peripheral regions around the region is also corrected. Therefore, a control value of the peripheral region, where the passenger satisfies at the set temperature of 25xc2x0 C, may be changed to another value. Accordingly, an air conditioning control different from a passenger""s preference may be performed after returning to the peripheral region having the changed another value.
If the correction of the set temperature of the peripheral region around the operation region is simply not performed, it is necessary to perform a change operation of the set temperature whenever the region is moved to a non-learned region.
An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle air conditioner with an improved air conditioning control.
Another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle air conditioner that learns a set temperature corresponding to a passenger""s preference, and performs a comfortable air conditioning control.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a vehicle air conditioner includes a memory unit for memorizing a set temperature of a passenger compartment of the vehicle for each of plural regions that are divided from each other by an environment condition relating to air conditioning operation of the passenger compartment, a temperature setting unit that is manually operated by a passenger for setting the set temperature at a desired value, and a control unit for controlling the air conditioning operation of the passenger compartment. In the vehicle air conditioner, when the temperature setting unit is operated, the control unit corrects the set temperature for learning in an operation region that is a region among the plural regions, corresponding to a value of the environment condition at an operation time of the temperature setting unit. The control unit performs the air conditioning operation based on the set temperature of a present region among the plural regions, corresponding to a value of the present environment condition. Further, when a region, among the plural regions, is used once for performing the air conditioning operation, the control unit determines that the region is a learned region and restricts a correction of the set temperature in the learned region, regardless of a correction of the set temperature due to operation of the temperature setting unit. Accordingly, even when the change operation of the set temperature is not performed while the air conditioning operation is performed based on the set temperature in one region, the set temperature of the one region is determined as a passenger""s preference temperature. Thus, once the region is used for performing the air conditioning operation, the region can be stored as a learned region, and a correction of the set temperature in the learned region is restricted when a change operation of the set temperature of another region is performed. As a result, passenger""s preference air-conditioning control can be performed when the learned region is used.
In the present invention, the memory unit stores the operation region as a learned region. Further, when the present region is moved from a region before being moved to a region to be moved among the plural regions due to a change of the environment condition, the control unit changes a correction degree of the set temperature in the region to be moved in accordance with whether the region to be moved is the learned region, so that a change of the set temperature, larger than a predetermined value, is restricted. For example, when the region to be moved is the learned region, the control unit prohibits a correction of the set temperature of the region to be moved. On the other hand, when the region to be moved is a non-learned region except for the learned region among the plural regions, the control unit corrects the set temperature of the region to be moved at a value substantially equal to the set temperature of the region before being moved.
Alternatively, a learning state of the learned region is divided into an operation learning state where the set temperature is corrected by the operation of the temperature setting unit, and a using learning state that is substantially used in the air conditioning operation without a correction of the set temperature due to the operation of the temperature setting unit. In this case, when the region to be moved is in the operation learning state, the control unit prohibits a correction of the set temperature of the region to be moved. On the other hand, when the region to be moved is in the using learning state, the control unit corrects the set temperature of the region to be moved to a value between the set temperature of the region before being moved and the set temperature of the region to be moved. Further, when the region to be moved is a non-learned region except for the learned region among the plural regions, the control unit corrects the set temperature of the region to be moved to a value substantially equal to the set temperature of the region before being moved.
In the present invention, when the temperature setting unit is operated, the control unit corrects the set temperature of peripheral regions of the operation region among the plural regions, and the control unit changes a correction degree of the set temperature of the peripheral regions in accordance with whether the peripheral region is the learned region. Accordingly, air conditioning control corresponding to the passenger""s preference can be performed.
Preferably, when the peripheral region is the learned region, the control unit prohibit a correction of the set temperature of the peripheral region. On the other hand, when the peripheral region is a non-learned region except for the learned region in the plural regions, the control unit corrects the set temperature of the peripheral region at a value substantially equal to the set temperature of the operation region.
Alternatively, a learning state of the learned region is divided into an operation learning state where the set temperature is corrected by the operation of the temperature setting unit, and a using learning state that is substantially used in the air conditioning operation without a correction of the set temperature due to the operation of the temperature setting unit. In this case, when the peripheral region is in the operation learning state, the control unit prohibits a correction of the set temperature of the peripheral region. On the other hand, when the peripheral region is in the using learning state, the control unit corrects the set temperature of the peripheral region to a value between the set temperature of the operation region and the set temperature of the peripheral region. Further, when the peripheral region is a non-learned region except for the learned region among the plural regions, the control unit corrects the set temperature of the peripheral region to a value substantially equal to the set temperature of the operation region.
According to another aspect of the present invention, in a vehicle air conditioner, when a control unit determines the same environment condition as an operation environment condition at an operation time of an operation unit, and determines a peripheral environment condition similar to the operation environment condition while determining that the peripheral environment condition is not experienced by the passenger, information of an air-conditioning set state of the operation unit is reflected to the air conditioning operation. Here, the peripheral environment condition, which is determined to be not experienced by the passenger, is an environment condition where an experienced time of the passenger is shorter than a predetermined time. That is, a comfortable air conditioning control is determined based on whether the air conditioning operation is performed at least for the predetermined time on the same environment condition. Accordingly, a time period and operation number, until an air conditioning control near to the passenger""s preference is performed from every condition, can be reduced.
According to a further another aspect of the present invention, in a vehicle air conditioner, when the environment condition changes to a non-experience environment condition that is not experienced yet by the passenger, the control unit maintains at the present air-conditioning set state. On the other hand, when the environment condition changes to an experience environment condition that has experienced by the passenger, the control unit re-sets the previously stored air-conditioning set state. Here, the experience environment condition, which is determined to be not experienced by the passenger, is an environment condition where an experienced time of the passenger is shorter than a predetermined time. Accordingly, abnormal operation of the learning control can be prevented.
According to a further another aspect of the present invention, a program of a computer for an air conditioner for performing air conditioning operation of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, includes a memory process, a reflecting process, and a restricting process. The memory process memorizes information of an air-conditioning set state after being operated, corresponding to an operation environment condition at an operation time, when a change operation of the air-conditioning set state is performed by a passenger. The reflecting process reflects the change operation of the air-conditioning set state to the air conditioning operation, in the same environment condition as the operation environment condition, and in a peripheral environment condition similar to the operation environment condition, where an experienced time of the passenger is shorter than a predetermined time. Further, the restricting process restricts a reflecting degree or prevent a reflection of the change operation of the air-conditioning set state to the air conditioning operation, in a peripheral environment condition similar to the operation environment condition, where the experienced time of the passenger is equal to or longer than the predetermined time. Accordingly, air conditioning control near the passenger""s preference can be readily performed while operation time and operation number of the passenger""s operation can be reduced.
On the other hand, the program of the computer for performing the air conditioning control can include the memory process, a maintaining process and a re-setting process. In this case, the maintaining process maintains the present air conditioning state when the present environment condition changes to an environment condition where an experience time of the passenger is shorter than a predetermined time. Further, the re-setting process resets the previously stored air-conditioning set state, when the present environment condition changes to an environment condition where the experienced time of the passenger is equal to or longer than the predetermined time. Accordingly, an abnormal operation of the learning control can be prevented, and the comfortable air conditioning operation can be performed.